The specific aims o this study is to comapare the relative outcomes of the two treatments, evaluate patient satisfactiion with their care, and compare the direct and indirect health care costs of the two treatments. The results of the study will be used to support a grant application to the NIH for the larger, multi-center clinical trial which evaluates the long-term risks and benefits of prophylactiv endoscopic variceal ligation compared to nadalol for preventing initial hemorrahage from esophageal varices.